I. əˈbrēvēˌāt, aˈb-, usu -ad.+V transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English abbreviaten, from Late Latin abbreviatus, past participle of abbreviare — more at abridge
: to make briefer : shorten:
a. : to reduce the length of (as a book) by omitting some parts : abridge
abbreviate a novel for very young readers
b. : to shorten by bringing to an end earlier than that planned or expected : cut short
the ceremony, held during the annual Alumni Day, was abbreviated by rain — New York Times
c. : to reduce (as an object or a form) in size or complexity by contraction or simplification
in all these systems there was more or less tendency to abbreviate the pictures, to contract them to a few strokes — A.L.Kroeber
d. : to reduce (as a word or phrase) to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole
abbreviate building as bldg
United States of America is commonly abbreviated to U.S.A.
— compare abbreviation
Synonyms: see shorten
II. -_ə̇t, -ˌāt adjective
Etymology: Late Latin abbreviatus
: shortened : relatively short : abbreviated
III. -ˌāt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Late Latin abbreviatus, past participle
Scots law : abridgment , abstract